Whispers Within A Bed of Roses
by silverXsaphire
Summary: Touga suddenly felt something different. His felt his motives change. He felt his impressions change. He felt his own determination change.


"Whispers within a bed of roses"

-Touga/Utena, slight Touga/Saionji-

-Rated: M for Mature- *Songfic* "Butou No Eros"

-Emerald: Saionji, Ruby: Touga, Bubblegum: Utena-

-Student Counsil Arc-

Tonight was a dance like any other. Everyone was there, including the student counsil. Including Saionji. It was a rare thing for the green-haired, passionate duelist to be seen at such ridiculous and pointless events such as this. He would usually sit around and think of more plans to defeat that Utena Tenjou and win the Rose Bride for himself. Though tonight someone, and someone in particular, had requested Saionji be there. He had even recieved a personally addressed letter to his dorm requesting his presence. It was unsual, but intriguing at the most. The only question was, who sent that letter? Shrugging the mind-boggling question to the back of his mind,  
>Saionji sighed and leaned against the wall in the corner of the ball room, arms crossed over his broad chest and one foot hooked over the other. He was utterly bored. Why was he even here? Why did he agree to come if no one was going to ask him to dance or anything? It was pointless! Another heavy sigh slipped past his pursed lips, and just as he was tempted to close his tired eyes, a voice rang in his ears. The voice was eerily familiar.<p>

"But Anthy! You have to dance!" Utena Tenjou protested as Anthy Himemiya, the Rose Bride, scurried away from the dance floor with her arms hugging her body protectively. Even after hundreds of times at these events, Anthy was still terrified of crowds. She still hated the thought of everyone watching her. Saionji grew curious and stood up from the wall, his eyes opening slightly wider to focus more on the two lovely ladies and their despute. It was interesting to watch the 'ugly tomboy' attempt to try to persuade the 'beautiful Rose Bride' to dance with her. It was absolutely histerical!

"How pathetic," Saionji thought aloud, spitting out an emphasis on 'pathetic.'

"She is quite the determined young lady," another voice added in, male in particular. Saionji gasped softly, startled by the extra dialog.

"You little fu-oh..Touga, it's you," The Emerald huffed, his angered face relaxing at the sight of his co-counsil member. Touga rested his hands on his hips and watched the pink-haired princess chase after the dark-skinned bride over toward the stairs to the upper level that led to the balcany.

"Who, Utena Tenjou?"

Touga raised an eyebrow, an agreeing responce to the other male's question.

"Eh, whatever." The Emerald rolled his eyes. "I still think it should be me dancing with Anthy not that ugly, stupid tomboy Utena."

Touga closed his eyes and bowed his head a bit, flashing the floor his famous and sexy smirk with a gentle chuckle.

"Why speak so ill of Miss Tenjou, hm? When she's already beaten you at nearly every duel you've challenged her to?"

Saionji's eyes went wider, a small barely audible gasp sounding from his scratchy throat. This angered him. How could Touga say that? Hadn't Utena beaten him as well? Yes! Yes she has! Touga had no room to talk!

Utena trudged back to the dance floor by herself, her shoulders hunched over and a sad expression on her face. Anthy must have left. Touga saw this as the perfect opportunity to step in and play the part of her mysterious Prince yet again. Thought it's not like it was a chore for Touga. Utena really was quite a beauty, especially in that long,  
>wavy pink dress that he had sent to her the very first dance. She has worn it nearly every time sinse then. He wan't sure why, but it looked amazing on her so he couldn't complain. It hugged her curves so perfectly and delicately. It practically made the student counsil president drool.<p>

"Ha! Look, she couldn't even get Anthy to dance with her! I told you she's pathetic. All by herself!"

"I'll fix that," Touga interjected, surprising (and most likely angering) Saionji for the upteenth time.

"W-Wha? But Touga!" The Emerald protested, taking a step toward the fire-red haired male and flashing him a desperate-like expression.

"Why don't you go and comfort Anthy, Saionji? She must be terribly upset," The Ruby said softly over his shoulder before walking off and over toward The Bubblegum. Saionji just stood there, wide-eyed and mouth agape as he stuttered incoherent words. 'Anthy. Comfort. Right.' The Emerald thought to himself.

As Touga neared the pink-haired mistress, he could see the utterly sad and defeated expression she held on that beautiful face of her's. The Ruby narrowed his eyes and went over to her, stooping down beside her chair at the table so they were at eye level.

"Personally, I think a smile suits you much better than that frown," He cooed in that sweet-talk voice he always used with her. Utena opened her eyes a bit wider and lifted her head slightly to look at Touga. She then rolled her eyes and looked away to the side.

"What is it, Touga?"

Touga flashed The Bubblegum a gentle smirk and stood up, holding out his hand to her welcomingly. "I saw how lonely and disappointed you looked so I thought I might ask you to dance."

Utena's brow furrowed and she hesitantly looked up at The Ruby. Why was he asking her to dance? Oh yeah, that's right. 'Must be one of his attemps to swoon me and trick me into losing a duel. What a jerk.'

"Come on," Touga purred, a sweet smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "One little dance won't hurt."

The Bubblegum closed her eyes and sighed in defeat yet again, slowly standing up and placing her silk-gloved hand within his. The Ruby gripped her hand as he led her to the middle of the dance floor, a spotlight immidiately englufing the two duelists. Utena's cheeks flushed a bright and dark pink, similar to the firery red of The Ruby's hair, as she felt the male's hands slither to grasp her hips and squeeze them gently, pulling her body closer to his. There had been a few small occasions where their bodies had been in this close a proximity. But none of them had felt this intense, this real. It startled her a bit. Was she starting to deveolop feeling for Touga all of the sudden? No; impossible. Of course not!

As their eyes locked in an unbreakable stare, Utena noticed Touga wasn't smiling, or smirking. His face was soft and calm, almost dreamy-like. Their bodies started moving in elegant swifts as the music played. The way The Ruby's red hair dancing along with them caught The Bubblegum in a trance. It was unrealistically beautiful to her. And the way his eyes sparkled and glistened, the light of the spotlight bouncing off his grape-purple hues, was hipnotizing. It was strange, the way she was feeling so suddenly. Could Touga Kiryuu, the President of the Student Counsil really, trully, be her Prince? 'Could he? Could he be?' Touga pulled The Bubblegum even closer against him, her breasts just slightly pressing into his chest. She couldn't help but blush again. The boy was making her so utterly flustered, it was unbelievable.

And before she knew it, The Ruby's face was slowly inching closer to her's and his purple hues started to flutter. 'Is he..is he going to kiss me?' Utena thought, unsure of what to do or how to react if their lips did in fact touch. They have never actually kissed before. It was always a fake-out, like Touga would always just flat out reject her. But maybe, just maybe, he was waiting; saving the kiss for the absolute perfect moment. A perfect moment such as this one. Just when The Bubblegum thought their lips were practically touching, she felt a sudden loss of warmth, of that fluttery feeling she had just seconds ago. What happened?

She opened her eyes to find Touga had pulled back, and instead, a wave of blonde flashed before her and a hard sting pained her left cheek. Nanami. Nanami must have seen them and jealously took over, feeling the need to slap Miss Tenjou yet again; like always.

"Nanami," The Ruby hissed in an aggitated voice. His brow was furrowed and his eyes were narrowed, a sure sign he wanted his younger sister out of sight.

Nanami glared almost evil-like at The Bubblegum, itching the just slap her again.

"You listen here, Miss Utena Tenjou! Big Brother is mine! And only mine! So back off!" She yelled, the crowd stopping all actions and conversations to listen in on the growing dispute between the three.

Touga rolled his eyes and took Nanami, his adoring little sister into his warm arms, smiling down at her.

"Nanami, relax. I will always be your big brother. But I am a grown man and my business is my business. Including who is involved." Nanami's hues glistened and filled with tears, but the girl quickly wiped the tears away and wriggled out of her brother's embrace. She stormed off.

The Ruby took a few steps over to The Bubblegum and gently cupped her pink-pained cheek with his hand.

"Don't listen to that silly girl," He whispered to her with a soft chuckle. Within the blink of an eye, her hand had been taking in his yet again and led up the stairs out to the balcany.

The people back down on the dance floor began to chatter and whisper, a few added-in giggles here and there as the announcer cleare dhis throat awkwardly and chuckled.

"O-Okay, let's speed things up a bit with a classic by..."

It was a quiet, peaceful night. The stars were clear and bright and the wind blew just enough to cause a few strands of the two duelists' hair to blow with it.

Utena stood with her arms resting on the railing of the balcany; Touga stood beside her with his slender hands burried deep within his pockets and his eyes closed.

"Beautiful night, isn't it?" The Ruby interjected, breaking the silence. The Bubblegum, perked up slightly and glanced over at the male leaning casually against the railing beside her. He looked so cool, calm, and collected. What was it about him? Why was Nanami so jealous and obsessive over her big brother? Why?

Utena looked down at her hands and twirled her thumbs nervously, still obviously flustered by the almost-kiss. Strangely though, it wasn't until tonight that the feelings struck within her. Why? That was still unknown. But all in all, Utena wasn't exactly complaining.

"What? O-Oh yes. It is," The Bubblegum responded Nonchelently(sp?). They had been standing out here for the longest time, yet The Ruby hasn't even attempted to get the least bit closer to her, let alone kiss her! And it was beginning to bug her. Her cheeks flushed a bright pink as she stumbled over words she dared not speak. She didn't want to all of the sudden seem desperate for his affection, thought she cleary was.

Touga's lips began to form a reasonably sweet smile as he glanced up at the stars. "Though not nearly as beautiful as you.."

Utena perked up even more, her blush deepening as a barely audible gasp slithered up from her throat. Finally.  
>He was doing it again; flattering her.<p>

The Bubblegum flashed a bright pink on her cheeks and she breathed a soft, nervous giggle and glanced down at her hands.

"Shut up, I'm not tha-Ahh!" Utena gasped as she felt The Ruby shift and take a hold of her body into his arms, his nimble fingertips tracing circles and dragged-out lines down the spine of her back, releasing small shivers. Touga looked blantly into her eyes that sparkled, glistened, and danced with the light of the moon and stars. They were beautiful to him. And Utena just couldn't help but feel her stomach flutter, her heart race, and her knees buckle.  
>He was truly going to kiss her, 'he better do it quick!' Utena thought. She could fall at any given moment! And just as she was beginning to think it was too much for her, The Ruby's eyes flutters shut, his gorgeously-framed face inched closer, and their lips gently touched in a world shaking, revolutionary kiss that sent her heart bursting from her chest.<p>

The kiss wasn't long, though. The usual 5 to 6 seconds. And as the two once frienemy duelists broke apart from each other, both their cheeks flushed a deep crimson; a deep rose. This had been their first real kiss and Touga suddenly felt something different. His felt his motives change. He felt his impressions change. He felt his own determination change.

"Utena.." Touga nearly whispered, his arms still wrapped around the smaller female in front of him in a loving embrace.

"I will protect you, always."

A smile tugged at the corners of Utena's lips, her hands reaching up to gently grip onto The Ruby's shirt.

Touga just smiled back and hugged her. 


End file.
